Posthole-digging machine



v. J. DAVIDSON. POSTHOLE DIGGING MACHINE.

M APPLICATION FILED JULY I9, 1920. 1,360,193.

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V/c TOR I DA v/D so/v. BY M M A? TORNEYS V. .l. DAVIDSON. -POSTHOLE DIGGINGYMACHINEI. APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1920.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

3 SHEETS SNEET 2.

UNITED STATES A VICTOR J. DAVIDSON. F TINTAH, MINNESOTA.

PosTHoLnmIeoIne MACHINE.

sp i ni. Patelitefl Nov. 23, 1920.

aspirate fiiet Juli} 19, 1926. sh atsu; 357,343. I

TaaZL wiiom a may obwem:

Be it kn wn that I, VmieeJ. 'DAVIDQ ON, acitizen of the United es res'iding at 'iintah, the cou'ntj ofTravferse and State of Minnesota, have in nted certain new and useiul lnip'rolvelnen sin Posthole-Dig ging Maehines, of which the followingis a s peciiicatioii. 1

My invention relates to post-hole digging machines, and an object is to provide a machine which can used veryeirpeditiously for digging pest-holes or similar holes in the groii'nd and which can be readily moved froniplace to place for digging sue cessite holes. H s e s e The ran objects andadvaiitages my in YQIitlOIl" will appear in coiinection \jvith the detailed description thereof, and the novel features embodied in the inventii e will be 5articiilarly pointed oiit in the claims. s In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View in vertical section on the line 1-1 of. Fig. 3; Fig. 2 is a front elevatiohal View; Fig. is a rear eleiratiohal view.

Referring to tiresome-lease shown in the accompanying drawings, the frame of the maehineinchides two front standards and 12 and two rear standai ds 14 and10. The front. and rear I Sesame comergfe toward each other upjfwardly'. as shown in Fig. 1, the two frontjstaiidai'ds 10 and 12 being parallel with each other, as shown in Fig. 2, while the two rear standards 14 and 16 are s aced farther apart at the bottom and converge toward each other, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. All 0'1 the standards at their upper ends aresecii'red to cap' 18 by bolts 20 passing through the standardsand through the turned-down flange of the cap, A horizontallydispbsed barBQ connects the two front standards, a horizoiit'al bar 24 connects the rear standardsg and two hor1 zontal bars 26 connectjthe front and rear standards witheach other all ofth'ese being located toward theitlop. of the framework. The two frent standards are conheated at their bottom by a horiiontal meniher-28 and they are also eo'nhected by a horizontalmember 30 spacedabore the member 28. Secured to the member 528 is a forward extension 32 and secured to the member 30 is a forward extension 34, the two extensions being connected bya vertical bolt 36. A member 38 is provided with a vertical opening through which the bolt 36 extends loosely, and this member is provided with a forward e'tktension to which a. front axle 40 is swiitelly attached a bolt 42. Wheels 44 alid mounted on thehends of the front axle and eyebolts 48 and 50 secured to the axle serve for the attachment of whifiietrees for hauling the machine. A horizon tal bar 52 connecting the front standards about. Iiiidway of their length serves for the attachment of a seat 54. Rotatably mounted in bearings secured to the front standards is a shaft 5Bto which is secured a ratchet wheel 58 engageable by a dog 60 pivoted to one of the front standards. The shaft 56 has a. square end by means of which it can be turned to wind up a chain 62, the upperend of which is secured to the shaft. The other end or this chain passesunder a roller 64 attached to the lower portion of the front frame members, and this chain is then se cured to] a member 66 having a hole through bers 38 and 66. A rear aitle 68 has wheels 7 0 and/72 mounted upon its ends and to this shaft hollow members and 76 are secured.

Through these hollow members, the rear standards and 16 extend slidably. Mounted hi hearings on the rear standards is a shaft 78 to which is secured a ratchet wheel 80 engageableby a dog 82 pivoted to one the rear standards. The shaft 7 8 has a square end by means of which it can be, i

turned to wihdup a pair of chains 84 and 86, the upper ends of which areseoured to the shaft. The other ends of the chains; pass under rollers88 and 90 attached to a crossbar 92 secured to the frame members andthe endsofthe chains are then attached to the e efie.

Mounted in bearings on the rear stand ards is asshalft 94 to which is secured a wihcling drum 96. A gear 98 secured to the shaft 94 meshes with a gear 100 secured to a shaft 102 mounted in bearings secured to the rear standards, this shaft having a square end by means of which it can be turned to rotate the drum 96 upon which is wound a cable 104. This cable passes over a pulley 106 secured to the under side of the cap 18. The

end of the cable is secured to an eyebolt'108 to which a clevis 110 is swiveled. This clevis passes through an opening in the upper end of the bar 112 to the lower end of which is secured an earth auger 114:. The bar 112 above the auger is provided with holes such as 116 at right angles to each other through which rods such as 118 may be inserted for turning the auger. By using two of these rods, a number of men may turn the auger for bor- I ing holes into the ground. The bar 112 near its upper end is also provided with holes such as 120 at right angles to each other through which rods such as 118 may be inserted forturning the auger after it has bored for some distance into the earth.

The operations and advantages of my invention will be obvious from the foregoing description. When it is desired to move the ma'chlne from one place to another, the

- framework is held in raised position as shown positioned upon the ground.

in the drawings, and by attaching whiflietrees to the eye-bolts 48 and 50 the machine mal be readily hauled over the ground and positioned at the place where a hole is to be dug. Upon lifting the dogs and 82, the framework descends so as to be firmly If desired, the standards of the framework may be sharpened at their lower ends so that they will not slip over 'the ground. Upon allow ing the drum 36 to rotate, the auger descends to the ground and upon passing the rods 118 throughthe holes 116 in the bar 112power may be applied to the auger to bore. into the earth. Since the holes 116 are only a'short distance above the auger, the latter may be readily maintained in a vertieal position and as the boring progresses the rods are shifted up to the holes 120 and the boring continued until the hole in the ground is of SllffiClBllt depth.

Upon applying a suitable handle to the shaft 102, the auger may be lifted out of the hole which has been dug. Upon applying power to turn the shafts 56 and 78, the framework iounted on said axle, means whereby said front standards can be raised and lowered relatively to said wheels, a rear axle to which said rear standards are slidably attached, wheels mounted on said axle, means whereby said rear standards can be raised and lowcred relatively to said wheels, and an earth auger supported from said frame.

2. A post-hole digging machine comprising a frame including a pair of front standards and a pair of rear standards, a vertical bolt supported near the bottom of said front standards, a member slid-ably and rotatably mounted on said bolt, a front axle swivelly attached to said member, wheels mounted on said axle. means whereby said front standards can be raised and lowered relatively to said wheels, a rear axle to which said rear standards are slidably a ttaehed, wheels mounted on said axle, means whereby said rear standards can be raised and lowered relatively to said wheels, an earth auger, means whereby said auger can be turned for boring a hole into the earth, a drum mounted on said frame, a cable wound on said drum and havmg its outer end attached to said auger, and

means for rotating said drum to lift said auger from the hole which it has bored. 3. A post-hole digging machine comprising a frame including a pair of front standards and a pair of rear standards, said pair of front standards and said pair of rear standards converging upwardly toward each other, said pair of front standards being parallel with each other and said pair of rear standards converging upwardly toward each other, a pair of forward extensions secured to said front standards and spaced vertically from each other, a vertical bolt connecting said extensions, a member slidably and rotatably mounted on said bolt, :1 front axle swivelly attached to said member, wheels mounted on said axle, means whereby said front standards can be raised and lowered relatively to said wheels, at rear axle to which said rear standards are slidablv attached, wheels mounted on said axle, nieans whereby said rear standards can be raised and lowered relatively to said wheels. an earth auger, means whereby said auger can be turned for boring a hole into the earth, a drum mounted on said frame, a cable wound on said drum and having its outer end attached to said auger, and means for rotating said drum to lift said auger from the hole which it has bored.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature.

VICTOR J. DAVIDSON. 

